The use of free weights in exercising has been well known and used for many years. Any persons carrying out an exercise regime prefer to use free weights because of the benefit that they obtain by exercising in this manner. A number of exercise machines have attempted to emulate the motion and resistance provided by free weights, but yet provide the same exercises without having to have a full set of free weights and bars. A number of these machines attempt to emulate the muscle movements and the resistance felt by the muscles in the body when carrying out various exercises including, but not limited to biceps curls, squats, pull downs etc.
When one is doing bicep curls for example, with a free weight on a bar one not only raises the weights vertically up and down when carrying out the bicep curl, but also the weights tend to move along the horizontal plan, namely inwardly and outwardly from the body as the weights are being curled upwards. Therefore, there is both a horizontal movement component as well as a vertical movement component in a very simple exercise such as a bicep curl when they are carried out with free weights. A number of machines have attempted to emulate this motion and resistence using a compact pulley type weight resistant machine having a stack of weights. The rational behind an exercise machine is that they eliminate numerous weights and bars required with free weight lifting, as well provide for a less expensive and more compact set up and installation in a home.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a exercise machine which is capable of emulating the resistance and motion of free weight exercises in a simple, compact and inexpensive unit that can be easily installed at any location.